Canada

About the WES Gateway Program

The WES Gateway Program assesses the educational credentials of individuals who, as a result of adverse circumstances in their country of education, have limited proof of their academic achievements.

WES works with these partners to identify qualified individuals educated in Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iraq, Syria, Türkiye, Ukraine, and Venezuela as participants in the Gateway Program. To learn more about the program’s impact, read stories from individuals who have used a WES Gateway Program credential evaluation report to pursue their academic and professional goals.

A Proven Approach to Reconstructing Credentials

Beginning in 2015, WES began investigating best practices for credential assessment and recognition among refugees and other displaced people. We conducted extensive literature reviews and interviewed relevant experts at institutions in the U.S., Canada, and Western Europe. We published our findings and recommended best practices in 2016.

Later that year, we launched a pilot project in Canada to test our assessment methodologies for displaced individuals with partial documentary evidence of their academic achievement. Based on the success of the pilot, we publicly introduced the WES Gateway Program in Canada in 2018 and in the U.S. in 2019.

Providing Displaced Individuals with Tools to Succeed

To evaluate credentials for WES Gateway Program participants, WES draws on more than 45 years of expertise in credential evaluation and international education systems as well as sample documents from our database of more than 23,000 different academic credentials.

The evaluation reports we issue through the program are designed to help displaced individuals continue their education, become licensed in their field, or take the next step in their career in Canada.

Referral Partners

WES works with a network of partner organizations across Canada to refer individuals to the WES Gateway Program. These referral organizations confirm the eligibility of prospective applicants, submit documents for evaluation, and provide additional information. To connect with a referral partner or inquire about the opportunity to work with us in the future, please contact us.